180 MW PV Capacity Commissioned In India

NLC India’s recently commissioned 130 MW PV capacity at Neyveli means one step ahead towards the company’s goal of having 4 GW of operating solar power capacity in the long run. Both the new NLC projects and the 50 MW PV plant from Tata were built using domestic modules. (Photo Credit: NLC India)

Key Takeaways

NLC India has commissioned two blocks of 65 MW capacity each in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu under the so-called DCR category

These projects were set up by Jakson Engineers Pvt. Ltd. and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited

Total project cost of these projects is 7.53 billion INR ($118.54 million), including viability gap funding (VGF) of 975 million INR ($15.36 million).

Tata Power connected a 50 MW solar power plant using domestically produced solar cells and modules in the Pavagada Solar Park in Karnataka

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The new year in India started with two big companies announcing commissioning 180 MW PV capacity. While mining company NLC India switched on two projects of 65 MW capacity each, Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd. (TPREL) commissioned a 50 MW solar power project in India. All projects used domestically manufactured solar cells and modules.

130 MW from NLC India in Tamil Nadu

NLC India’s projects are spread over four locations in Neyveli township in the state of Tamil Nadu. It awarded the contract to deploy indigenous solar cells and modules in the 65 MW plant to Jakson Engineers Pvt. Ltd. Another 65 MW block was executed by fellow state entity Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) using Indian solar modules. BHEL was awarded this contract in July 2016 (see BHEL Bags 80 MW EPC Order).

The entire 130 MW capacity of NLC India will sell clean energy to state utility company Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO). The tariff is 5.10 INR ($0.080) per kWh, the power purchase agreement will remain in place for a period of 25 years.

NLC India aims to contribute 4 GW of solar power capacity across the country in line with the Government of India’s target to set up 100 GW of solar power capacity by 2022.

50 MW from Tata in Karnataka

TPREL commissioned a 50 MW solar power plant in Karnataka’s Pavagada Solar Park. It won the right to develop the project from National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in September 2016. The company’s winning tariff in the tender was 4.84 INR ($0.072) per kWh (see NTPC Tender Results).

The project is part of the National Solar Mission (NSM) Phase-II, Batch-II, Tranche-I State Specific Bundling Scheme.

This 50 MW system ups the cumulative installed operating solar power capacity of TPREL to 1,664 MW. TPREL wants to have a 35 to 40% share of its total generation capacity coming from non-fossil fuel sources by 2025.